fried eggs

Boiled, fried, poached… Well that’s kind of it, but however you like to eat yours, eggs are rich in protein, nutrients and if cooked correctly, can be darn tootin’ tasty. But alas, over-cooked, chalky yolks and runny whites are destroying breakfasts across the land, so perhaps it’s time to go back to basics this Easter.

Before we get onto cooking, let’s discuss storage and freshness. It may surprise you to know that older eggs can sometimes be the superior choice, depending on how you are planning to cook with them. If hard-boiling, slightly older eggs are easier to peel – if you’ve ever tried to peel a fresh egg, I feel your pain. The white comes away with the shell and you’re left with a knobbly pot-holed mess. However, older eggs cook with a more robust white, making them considerably easier to peel, so save fresh eggs for poaching, frying and scrambling.

To refrigerate or to not refrigerate. This has been long debated but generally, comes down to the climate you live in. As a general rule, it’s best to keep eggs in the fridge, as constant changes in temperature can cause the eggs to spoil. If in doubt, refrigerate. However, room temperature eggs can be better for cooking with, so it’s best to remove the eggs from the fridge and allow them to come up to temperature before cooking.

Frying: Frying eggs can be a daunting task to many due to copious amounts of hot oil used for basting. However, this technique is out-dated and unnecessary – but you will need a non-stick frying pan with a lid. Add a tsp of cooking oil or butter to a non-stick saucepan and place over a medium heat. Meanwhile, crack the egg into a ramekin – cracking the egg directly into the pan gives you less control and can occasionally break the yolk. Once hot, move the oil around the pan before sliding in the egg. Allow to cook for about a minute, or until the white has started to set, before covering with a lid. Fry the egg for around 2-3 minutes, checking regularly as to not over-cook the yolk.

Poaching: Poaching is possibly the most feared of all the egg cooking methods, due to the confusion around vinegar and swirling water vortexes. It’s true that a drop of vinegar helps coagulate the egg but it’s only really necessary if your eggs aren’t all that fresh. Personally, I don’t bother with vinegar or swirling the water around – it’s Sunday morning and I want my poached eggs with as little faff as possible. l simply fill a small frying pan nearly to the brim with boiling water and bring to a simmer. Crack the egg into a small ramekin before lowering carefully into the water and tipping out. Simmer gently for two to three minutes for a soft, runny yolk. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve.

Soft and hard boiling: My childhood favourite. From slicing off the cap to dunking in hot buttered soldiers, a soft-boiled egg evokes happy memories and joy. How long you boil the eggs for depends on how old they are – older eggs tend to need less time, so boil for 5 mins. Fresh eggs need longer, so keep them in the water for 6.5 mins. Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil and turn down to a simmer. Gently lower in two eggs and set a timer between 5–6.5 mins – depending on how old your eggs are. For hard boiled eggs, it’s best to use older eggs to ensure an easier peel. Simmer in boiling water for 8 mins before transferring to an icy water bath. Leave to cool fully before peeling.

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This is my boyfriend’s absolute favourite breakfast, he’s been harassing me to make it for ages. I tried to explain that he could always make it himself but this didn’t go down very well. Anyway, don’t be scared of frying eggs, they don’t need to be cooked in a bath of oil like that grotesque scene in Withnail and I (click here). Also, I don’t appreciate being spat at by lamas let alone by a saucepan of hot oil, so let’s use spray oil instead yeah? Far less spitty.
Anyway, I tend to always have a couple of frozen pita breads in my freezer, so this recipe is pretty easy to throw together just as long as you have bit of yogurt to use up. It has to be plain yogurt mind, don’t be using any old strawberry Frube you find at the back of the fridge.
In any case, I hope you enjoy this Turkish delight as much as Jamie does. It’s been known to cure many a bad hangover.

P.S. I apologise if you watched the ‘Withal and I’ clip to the point where the old woman bites into her fried egg sandwich and it all falls out the back. That gave me nightmares for quite some years.

Turkish eggs on pita
Serves 1 / Hands on time 10 mins / Total time 10 mins / V
You’ll need: Non-stick frying pan preferably with a lid
Spray rapeseed oil
2 eggs
1 brown pita bread
3 tbs Greek yogurt
Small handful fresh mint, chopped
Small handful of fresh dill, chopped
¼ tsp smoked paprika
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 tsp garlic extra virgin olive oil (if you don’t have garlic oil simply grate half a garlic clove into the yogurt and use regular extra virgin olive oil)
3 pickled chillies, stalks removed (optional)

TIP: This is a great way to use up Greek yogurt you have left over from another recipe.

Method
1. Roughly chop the mint and the dill and put to one side. In a small bowl, add the yogurt and season with salt. If not using garlic oil, stir the grated garlic straight into the yogurt.
2. Spray a small non-stick frying pan with rapeseed oil and place over a medium heat and allow the oil to heat up for a couple of minutes. Crack in the eggs and fry until you have set whites and runny yolks – to make sure my eggs are perfectly set, I like to put the lid on the pan for the last minute to allow the steam to cook the top part of the eggs.
3. Meanwhile toast the pitta and using a knife, butterfly open on a plate. Add the yogurt to the centre of the bread and spread it out using the back of a spoon. Top with the fried eggs and liberally sprinkle over the herbs, smoked paprika and the chilli flakes. Remove the stalks from the pickled chillies, arrange them on top and drizzle over the garlic or extra virgin olive oil.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.